– – – – – – – 2019 – – – – – – –
June 1, Saturday, 9:00 to 6:00 &
June 2, Sunday, 10:00 to 5:00
50th Anniversary – Spring Open House
Welcome to Well-Sweep Herb Farm! In celebration of our 50th year in business, enjoy not one but two full days of free informative lectures and presentations, tours of our spectacular gardens, as well as a special ‘Friends of Well-Sweep’ Craft and Farmers’ Market – featuring 15 different vendors. To view our vendors click here. Below you will find schedules for each day followed by details on each presentation. This event will be held rain or shine.
June 1, Saturday, 9:00 to 6:00
9:00 – 10:00: Favorite Kitchen Herbs with Louise Hyde
10:00 – 11:00: Bees & Butterflies – Blossom Banquets for Pollinators with Lorette Cheswick
11:00 – 12:00: Perennials of Distinction with David Hyde
12:00 – 12:15: Thai Cooking with Jay Chai of the Pandan Room
12:15 – 1:15: Herb Garden Tour with Patrick McDuffee
1:00 – 1:15: Thai Cooking with Jay Chai of the Pandan Room
1:30 – 2:30: Backyard Medicinal Herbs with Kerry Adams
3:00 – 4:00: Funky, Far-out and Fabulous Plants with David Hyde
4:30 – 5:30: Herb Garden Tour with Patrick McDuffee
Start Saturday off at 9:00 with Louise Hyde for a presentation on her Favorite Kitchen Herbs. One of the farm’s founders, gardener extraordinaire, cook and author of our cookbook ‘Favorite Recipes From Well-Sweep,’ come learn Louise’s knowledge on easy to grow herbs for savory dishes.
At 10:00 Lorette Cheswick, skilled Apiarist, will take you on a walk through our gardens as she brings attention to plants that attract pollinators. Many flowering plants provide nectar and pollen for insects as enticements to help move their pollen from one plant to another for improved seed production. This symbiotic relationship adds another layer of observation for any garden visit. Seeing which plants are active insect snares and which plants trick insects is both entertaining and instructive. Come learn about these Bee and Butterfly magnets for your garden and their complex relationships.
At 11:00 join David Hyde, owner of Well-Sweep, for Perennials of Distinction, a presentation on knock-out gorgeous perennials for a variety of conditions. David will select some of his favorite classic, unusual and rare plants and how to provide them with the proper conditions for success in your garden.
At 12:00 and 1:00 join Jay Chai, restaurant owner of the Pandan Room and TOPO, as he shares culinary tips for exotic flavors. Thai, Indonesian and Vietnamese dishes featuring herbs and spices carried at the farm will be shown. These dishes will also be available for purchase. Come experience Asian herbs to enhance your cuisine and expand your palate. Click the links to learn more about the Pandan Room and Topo.
At 12:15 and 4:30 take a tour of our Formal Herb Garden and learn the history and uses of both exotic and familiar herbs, led by Patrick McDuffee, the 3rd generation at Well-Sweep. Patrick is the grandson of lecturer and collector Cyrus Hyde, carrying on his stories as well as providing some of his own gained from his degree in Biology and enthusiasm for medicinal herbs.
At 1:30 join Kerry Adams, a practicing herbalist of 45 years, for a lecture on backyard plants with useful medicinal properties. These wonderful weeds aid healing and prevent illness. Learn simple ways of keeping yourself and your family healthy. Learn more about Kerry here.
At 3:00 meet David Hyde back under our maple tree for Funky, Far-out, and Fabulous Plants for your home and garden. With a family plant collection that spans 50 years unique cultivars abound. David will cover a wide array of far-out houseplants, fabulous perennials for your garden or containers, funky succulents and more. He will go over their care requirements and how to maintain healthy specimens throughout the year. You’re going to want a bigger window and garden after learning about all these beauties.
June 2, Sunday, 10:00 to 5:00
10:00 – 11:00: Native Wildflowers and Ferns with David Hyde
10:30 – 11:30: Herb Garden Tour with Patrick McDuffee
11:30 – 12:30: Buzzy Bees with Lorette Cheswick
12:30 – 12:45: Fresh & Seasonal Cooking with Chef Greg Matty of James on Main
1:00 – 2:00: Herbal First Aid Kit with Kerry Adams
2:30 – 3:30: Funky, Far-out and Fabulous Plants with David Hyde
3:30 – 4:30: Growing Mushrooms for Food & Soil Health with Olga Tzogas
3:30 – 4:30: Herb Garden Tour with Patrick McDuffee
Start Sunday off at 10:00 with David Hyde, owner of Well-Sweep, in a presentation on perennial natives and nativars for your garden. Learn the benefits of these beauties and how to introduce them into the garden and keep them happy. David will cover plants for sun and shade as he teaches how to select, transplant, grow and maintain them. Discover how to support our indigenous bird, butterfly and insect populations.
At 10:30 and 3:30 take a tour of our Formal Herb Garden and learn the history and uses of both exotic and familiar herbs, led by Patrick McDuffee, the 3rd generation at Well-Sweep. Patrick is the grandson of lecturer and collector Cyrus Hyde, carrying on his stories as well as providing some of his own gained from his degree in Biology and enthusiasm for medicinal herbs.
At 11:30 Lorette Cheswick, skilled Apiarist, will talk about how to attract honey bees to your garden, the joys of beekeeping and honey extraction. Come sample our one-of-a-kind, delicious and organic spring nectar flow.
At 12:30 join Chef Greg Matty of James on Main as he talks about the importance of fresh and seasonal ingredients in your cooking. Chef Matty has worked with Owner and Executive Chef Bill Van Pelt of James on Main since 2018. Chef Bill has spent 20 years in professional kitchens, studying abroad in Vienna and the Austrian Alps, and working alongside some of New Jersey’s finest chefs. A Hackettstown resident and father of three, he established James on Main in 2016 as a place for people to enjoy freshly prepared, locally and seasonally sourced foods in a welcoming environment. Freshly prepared dishes will also be available for purchase. Click the link to learn more about James on Main.
At 1:00 join Kerry Adams, a practicing herbalist of 45 years, for a lecture on how to compose a Herbal First Aid Kit to meet some of your family’s general needs. Plants to grow and things to purchase for your medicine chest and have on hand from head to toe – just in case. One plant can be useful in different forms to treat different conditions. Learn more about Kerry here.
At 2:30 meet David Hyde back under our maple tree for Funky, Far-out, and Fabulous Plants for your home and garden. With a family plant collection that spans 50 years unique cultivars abound. David will cover a wide array of far-out houseplants, fabulous perennials for your garden or containers, funky succulents and more. He will go over their care requirements and how to maintain healthy specimens throughout the year. You’re going to want a bigger window and garden after learning about all these beauties.
At 3:30 join Olga Tzogas of Smugtown Mushrooms to learn about Growing Wine Cap Mushrooms for Food & Soil Health. Mushrooms and fungi have an ancient story that connects humans and all life to them. Enter into the ‘wood wide web’ as you learn the important ecological role of fungi and how to integrate them into our systems by growing and eating them. Inoculate a Wine Cap bed with Olga and learn basic methods for growing Wine Cap mushrooms, edible and delicious fungi that help with water retention, soil erosion and repairing polluted soil. Learn more about Smugtown Mushrooms here.
June 7, Friday, 6:30 to 9:00
Medicinal Herb Walk & Native American Storytelling
David Winston, renowned herbalist and ethnobotanist, will present an educational walk to locate and identify common medicinal herbs in their native habitat. Learn about the healing properties of nature’s pharmacy, perhaps just beyond your own doorstep. Following the walk, David will share a Native American story as we gather around a campfire.
Mr. Winston is an internationally known lecturer as well as founder and president of Herbalist & Alchemist, Inc. Learn more about David Winston here and Herbalist & Alchemist here. Refreshments will be served. Reservations are required. $45.00
June 8, Saturday, 10:30 to 12:00
Herbal Planter 101
Join Patrick of Well-Sweep for an introduction to growing herbs. A lecture covering how to pair your herbs for success will be followed by your choice of plants for planting in a 6”x18” container. All basic care and use tips will be covered. Reservations are required. $39.00
June 8, Saturday, 1:30 to 3:30
Garden Trough Planter
Create two of your own hypertufa trough planters with that Old English look. Choose from a variety of shapes and sizes for your project. We will be combining cement, perlite and other ingredients – so wear old clothes, bring rubber gloves and a face mask. Troughs will need to be left to dry with us for a few days. Reservations are required. $46.00
June 22, Saturday, 1:00 to 2:30
Herbal Topiary Workshop
Topiary art-forms have long been an intriguing point of interest in herb gardens and home décor. This lecture on the design and sculpture of herbs into living art will include selection, support, care, pruning, use, and maintenance. You will select, plant and trim your choice of topiary start. No prior experience necessary. Reservations are required. $39.00
June 29, Saturday, 11:00 to 2:00
Wonderful Lavender & Lunch
Come and enjoy a relaxing and educational day with lavender. Our day begins at 11:00 with ‘Lovely Lavender,’ a presentation by David Hyde on growing, enjoying and harvesting this herb. The history, best varieties, tips and tricks, as well as the many healing benefits of lavender will be covered.
A tasty lavender lunch will follow at 12:00. At 1:00 enjoy an activity creating you very own lavender condiments. You will make lavender vinegar, oil, and Herbs de Provence spice blend. Come experience this wonderful fragrant herb. Reservations are required. $53.00
July 6, Saturday, 1:30 to 3:30
Lavender Crafts
With lavender in full bloom, enjoy a relaxing afternoon creating two beautiful scented projects from this fragrant herb. We will make a 6” heart-shaped fresh lavender wreath and a lavender wand woven with ribbon – delightful decorations for your home. Lavender refreshments will be served. Reservations are required. $40.00
July 13, Saturday, 10:00 to 12:00
Carnivorous Creation
It’s alive! Come create your own bug eating masterpiece by planting a trio of carnivores in an 8” clay pot. Learn about Venus Fly Traps, sundews, and pitcher plants and how to grow and maintain them in living sphagnum moss. All materials provided. Reservations are required. $49.00
July 13, Saturday, 1:00 to 3:00
Ceramic Planters
Join Emma Rimi for a fun filled afternoon, creating and designing a vessel for your favorite plant friend. Each person will be able to create a planter and a saucer. Before firing, planters will be approximately 6” high by 3.5” wide. We will start the class learning the basics of hand building; we will then form slabs of clay that will aid us in our planter creations. Textures and supplies will be provided to make your piece personalized and unique. You will need to return to the farm and pick up your creation after 3 weeks. Reservations are required. $40.00
July 27, Saturday, 11:00 to 2:00
Midsummer Herb Festival
Well-Sweep’s 30th annual Midsummer herb festival celebrates ‘Anise Hyssop’, Agastache, the 2019 International Herb Association’s Herb of the Year. In honor of our 50th Anniversary we will be having guest speaker Delaware State University Professor Emeritus Arthur O. Tucker. Tucker is an internationally renowned botanist, author of “The Encyclopedia of Herbs”, and friend of Cyrus & Louise. He will be speaking on “Agastache and Some Herbal Hacks” as well as discussing his new book, co-authored by Susan Belsinger, “Grow Your Own Herbs: The 40 Best Culinary Varieties for Home Gardens.”
After the lecture, enjoy a tasty luncheon prepared with anise and Korean hyssop as well as other complimentary herbs. After lunch, celebrate the beauty of this culinary flower as you create a floral arrangement featuring the many varieties of Agastache and other flowers from our gardens. Finish the day with a tour through our formal herb garden. Reservations are required. $39.00
July 30, Tuesday, 6:00 to 7:30
Asian Herbs at Duke Gardens
Join us for a lecture at Duke Gardens – click here for more information.
Grow the flavors of Southeast Asia on your windowsill or in your garden. Join Patrick McDuffee of Well-Sweep Herb Farm in a presentation on Thai, Indian and Vietnamese varieties grown at the farm such as Curry-Leaf, Kaffir Lime and Pandan. Come learn culinary tips, health benefits and how to successfully grow these plant to enhance your cuisine and expand your palate.
Plants will be available for sale after the lecture.
August 2 – 11, Friday – Sunday
Visit us at the NJ State Fair – Sussex County Farm & Horse Show
Come check out the fair and visit us at our booth next to the greenhouse. Click here from more information.
August 18, Sunday, 1:30 to 3:00
Exotic World of Herbs and Spices at Duke Gardens
Join us for a lecture at Duke Gardens – click here for more information.
Come explore the fascinating world of herbs and their unusual fragrances and flavors; experience tasty basils, exotic jasmines and unique ethnic varieties. This introduction will cover the lore and history of common and unusual herbs known for their culinary attributes, scents and uses.
Growing tips, requirements and the best culinary choices will be presented by David Hyde of Well-Sweep Herb Farm, known for one of the largest collections of herbs and perennials in the country. Learn how easy and beneficial herbs are to grow and enjoy – come experience their delight!
Plants will be available for sale after the lecture.
August 24, Saturday, 10:00 to 2:00
Bringing in The Harvest
With your garden bursting forth with the bounty of your efforts – come learn how to preserve your harvest. The art of drying, freezing, and canning your herbs, vegetables and fruit will enable you to enjoy the benefits of your garden year-round. Shortcuts, as well as tried and true methods will be covered. Reservations required. $30.00
August 26 – September 1, Monday to Sunday
Customer Appreciation Week
Our customers are what make Well-Sweep Herb Farm successful. To show our thanks, we invite you to visit us during this week and receive a 20% discount on all purchases. On Saturday, August 31, come and experience our farm with a day of free lectures – see below.
August 31, Saturday, 9:00 to 5:00
Customer Appreciation Day
On Saturday, August 31, come and experience our farm with a day of free informative lectures and tours. On this day complimentary herbal refreshments will be served. Free admission and parking.
Dazzling Fall Perennials: at 11:00 with David Hyde, avid plant enthusiast, noted lecturer and owner of Well-Sweep Herb Farm’s family business. Come discover great perennials for dazzling late-season color and their deer resistance, drought tolerance and pollinator benefits. David will cover selecting, transplanting, growing, and maintaining them – as well as some of his favorites.
Herb Garden Tours: at 12:30 and 2:30. Join Patrick McDuffee on a tour of our Formal Herb Garden and learn the history and uses of both exotic and familiar herbs. Patrick, the third generation at Well-Sweep, shares his grandfather’s herbal enthusiasm – Cyrus Hyde noted collector and speaker.
Pollinator Paradise: at 1:00 Lorette Cheswick, a skilled Apiarist, will present a garden tour on fall perennials that attract pollinators. Many flowering plants provide nectar and pollen for insects as enticements to help move their pollen from one plant to another for improved seed production. This symbiotic relationship adds a season long layer of observation for any garden visit. Seeing which plants are active insect snarers and which plants trick insects is both entertaining and instructive. Come learn about these Bee and Butterfly magnets for your garden and their complex relationships to create your own ‘Pollinator Paradise’.
September 7, Saturday, 10:00 to 12:00
Herb Vinegars, Oils, and Pesto
With the garden at its peak and an abundance of herbs – it’s time to harvest; come learn the basics on how to make your own herbal condiments. This class will feature the creation of two oils, two vinegars and a pesto to take home. Light refreshments will be served. Reservations are required. $38.00
September 14, Saturday, 10:00 to 12:00
Women’s Health & Reproductive Years
By gaining an understanding of the reproductive cycle we are able to nourish and support ourselves through both the reproductive and peri-menopausal years. This also results in a smoother menopausal phase. Join Kerry Adams, a practicing herbalist for 45 years, as she covers some of the herbs that are helpful to nourish and support the phases, nutrition and lifestyle choices to help avoid various problems and what to do if things go wrong. Learn more about Kerry here. Reservations are required. $28.00
September 14, Saturday, 1:00 to 3:00
Herbal Water Therapy
Join Kerry Adams, a practicing herbalist for 45 years, as she covers techniques for using botanical water therapies to prevent and treat illness at home. She will cover hydrotherapy, inhalations, steams, baths, washes, whole body, or hand and foot baths. Learn more about Kerry here. Reservations are required. $28.00
September 21, Saturday, 1:00 to 3:00
Soap Making
Learn how to make all-natural, homemade soap. Various methods and ingredients will be covered. Choose from a varied selection of fragrant essential oils and herbs – to create your own specialty soap. Wear old clothes. Reservations are required. $37.00
October 19, Saturday, 6:00 to 9:00
Fall Harvest Celebration & Mary Todd Lincoln
Join us for our 19th annual Fall Harvest gathering with honored guest Mary Todd Lincoln. First Lady of the United States to our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, Mary is portrayed by acclaimed actor Pat Jordan of the American Historical Theatre. Pat’s intelligence and lively sense of humor allow her easy access to a sensitive interpretation of Mary Todd Lincoln and invites a new understanding of this complex and frequently misunderstood woman. Come enjoy a delicious feast and entertaining evening. Reservations are required. $80.00.
More Special Events information to follow.
– – – – – – – 2019 – (Past) – – – – – – –
May 4, Saturday, 9:30 – 10:30
Woodland Gardening with Natives
Curious about natives? Interested in creating beautiful, low-maintenance natural landscapes? Come explore the world of Woodland Gardening with Stan Pukash in this informative slide presentation. Learn about natives and how to use them in your landscape for woodland and butterfly gardens. Stan is a member of the Native Plant Society of NJ and the proprietor of “Trillium Woods”, a native wildflower garden at his home in Chester. He was also a member of the Chester Township Environmental Commission where he coordinated an annual native plant sale for fifteen years. Reservations are required. Free.
May 4, Saturday, 10:30 – 11:30
Native Wildflowers and Ferns
Join David Hyde of Well-Sweep Herb Farm in a presentation on perennial natives and nativars. Learn about the benefits of these beauties and how to introduce them into the garden and keep them happy. David will cover selecting, transplanting, growing, and maintaining them – as well as some of his favorites. Discover how to support our indigenous bird, butterfly and insect populations. Reservations are required. Free.
For more information – call (908) 852-5390 or e-mail us at info@wellsweep.com.
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Herb Garden Tours
Farm lecture tours are available for groups of 10 or more. Tour our impressive culinary, medicinal, and formal herb gardens; also visit the gift shop and farm animals. Lecture subjects include the history, uses, and cultivation of herbs, as well as herbal recipe suggestions. Tours can be tailored to specific topics.
Offered May through October, tours are $9.00 per person with a non-refundable deposit of $25.00. Box lunches are available for groups of 15 or more, or if you prefer to bring your own – a picnic area is provided. Call us today to schedule your group’s tour.
Call For More Details – (908) 852-5390
Special events are held rain or shine and will not be canceled – (except in situations beyond our control). A check mailed to us will reserve your place. Your canceled check is your confirmation. Refunds minus a $5.00 nonrefundable fee will be issued to those canceling at least 10 days prior to the event.
Well-Sweep Herb Farm
205 Mount Bethel Rd
Port Murray, NJ 07865-4147
E-Mail: info@wellsweep.com
Would you like to hear about our latest farm sales, interesting herbs and perennials, as well as gardening tips and tricks – join our private e-letter list by contacting us at info@wellsweep.com, please include your full mailing address.